Control panel and the like



March 14, 1944. H. H. BARNARD CONTROL PANEL AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 27, 1941 March 14, 1944. H. H. BARNARD CONTROL PANEL AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 27. 1941,

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 14, 1944. H, H. BARNARD CONTROL PANEL AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 27. 1941 Patented Mar. 14, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT orifice claims.

The present invention relates to a control panel, board rack or desk for electrically controlling and operating one or more indicating devices of the type, for instance, as shown in my Patent No. 2,329,686, issued September 2'1, 1943. The control panel or board while capable of application to various uses. is particularly adapted to be used in conjunction with -a source of information contained or printed on paper tape issuing from a stock, bond or commodity ticker which has printed thereon, sales quotations and other data. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a control board composed of a bank of interchangeable slats or bars, of which each bar is 'provided with indicating means, electric circuit control devices and a series of binding posts to control one or more indicating devices to be used las trend analyzers and visual observation of collected data.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the control panel yas a desk on which a paper sheet may be placed and held thereon by suitable 'means and at the same time is beyond interference with the indicating and control devices of the slats. y

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a quick separable frame for the slats or bars whereby the bars may be quickly removed or interchanged and the 'frame members again locked in position to compose the complete desk or board.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description when considered with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a top plan View of the control panel or board:

Fig. 2 is a bottom edge plan view of the control panel;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the panel taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan Vview of one of the slats or bars; Y

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram; and

Figs. 6 to 15 are plan views of the frame and frame members of which Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the frame, Fig. 7 is a side plan view of the upper part of the frame, Fig. 8 is a side plan view of the frame in the open position, Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the top frame section, Fig. 10 is an inner plan view of the upper portion of the left'side frame section, Fig. 11 is an inner plan view of the upper portion of the right side frame section, Fig. l2 is an end plan View of the left end of Fig. 7, Fig. 13 is an end plan View of the right end of Fig. "I, Fig. 14 is an end plan view of the left end of Fig. 8, and Fig. 15 is an end plan view of the right end of Fig. 8.

The control panel or board consists of a substantially rectangular frame lil of which two sections, bottom section II and right side section l2, are permanently secured together at the corner I4 by means of two screws or pins l5 'and the other two sections, left side section l5 and top section Il are pivotally and removably secured to the sections ll and I2 in that section IS is pivotally secured at hinge i8 to the section ll. Sections I6 and Il are removably secured to each other at the corner i9 and the section Il is removably secured to the section l2 at ithe corner '20. VEach section has a vplurality of spaced tong-ues at each end which intert in corresponding grooves formed between two tongues and at the edges which will be further described. The corners I9 and 20 are each provided with a pin 2l having two different diameters, Figs. 9 and 1l, and on which is mounted a threaded eye bolt 22 and 23 and a knurled clamping nut 24 and 25. The eye bolts 22 and 23 are rotatably secured on the smaller diameter portion of its respective pin 2l and by rotation of the knurled clamping nuts 24 and 25 on the bolts 22 and 23 against the frame, Figs. 1 and 6, the 'frame Il! is secured in assembled and adjusted position. By unscrewing the nuts 24 and 25 and rot-ating the 'bolts 22 and 23 clockwise approximately 90 Afrom the position of Figs. 1 and 6 to the position of Fig. '7, the frame l0 is opened or disassembled, Fig 8, for the purpose which will be described.

The top frame section l'l is provided with a pair of clamps 26, Figs. 1 and 2, each composed of a right-angle arm 2l mounted by means of a sleeve 28 on a post 29, the latter being secured on a base 30. The base is suitably secured on the frame section by means of screws and the like, and the arm 21 is forced down on the control panel by means of a tension spring 3| on the post 29 which coacts against the sleeve 23, Fig. 2. The bottom frame section Il is provided with an edge stop or guide 32, Figs. 1 and 2, secured on the side face of the section by suitable means such as screws. Also, a pair oi ilat spring members 33 are rotatably secured on the section Il to act as clamps and are suitably bowed as shown in Fig. 2. The clamps 33 and 26 are adapted to yhold a work sheet 34, Fig. 1, on the control panel with the bottom edge of the sheet of paper against the stop 32.

Each frame section l2 and'l is provided with a central longitudinal tongue 35 on the inside of the frame'whi-chts into a groove 36 on each end of the control bars or slats 31 and 38 forming the work desk for the sheet of paper 34. The bars 31 are perfectly blank Aand function merely as space fillers, for the top surface of the desk, if it is desired to have only a certain number, not a full bank, of control bars 38.

Each control bar 38, Figs. 1 and 3, is provided on the right hand side, with a plurality of electric terminals or binding posts 39, 40, 4|, 42 and 43, and two contact sockets 44 and 45. The left hand side of each bar 38 is provided with electric switch or push buttons |58 and |59 and four light bulbs 4S, 41, 48 and 49. Each light bulb is mounted in a socket 50 and is provided in a depression 5| in the bar so that the tops of the bulbs are just below the working level of the panel, Fig, 3. The underside of each bar 38 is suitably grooved at 52, Figs. 3 and 4, to accommodate the switch contact members 53 and 54, the bottom portions of the sockets 50, the bottom ends of the terminal connectors 55 and the plurality of connecting wires 56, 51, 58, 59 and 69.

Each switch 53 and 54 consists of two spring arms 6| each having an opposed contact, Figs. 3 and 5, mounted at 62 to its respective bar 38 by means of suitable insulating blocks 63 in the groove 52, by means of screws. A spring urged rod 64 extending from each button |58 and |59 through each bar 38 is adapted to relatively move the contacts toward each other to close a circuit, which will be more specifically referred to.

Each frame section |I, |2, |6 and I1, Figs. 6 to 15, is provided at each end with a plurality of tongues which interiit at the corners to form the frame. The top frame section |1 has two tongues 65 at one end, Fig. 9, which'are slotted at 66 to fit over and on the pin 2| which is secured in the tongues 61. on the top end of the right side frame section |2, Fig. 15. At the other end of the section |1, two tongues 68 carry a pin 2|, Fig. 9, which ts into the slots 69 in the tongues 10, Figs. 8 and 14, on the top end of the left side frame section I6. The bottom end of section I6 is provided with a pair of tongues 1| which cooperate with the left end of the bottom frame section l I by means of tongues 12, Fig, 14, which, together with the pin I8, forms a hinge pivoting on the pin I8. The other or right end of the section |I is provided with a plurality of tongues 13, Fig. 15, cooperating with tongues 14 on the bottom end of the right side frame section |2 which are permanently secured together by means of the two pins I5. The other or top end of the right side frame section |2 has a pair of tongues 61 in which a pin 2| is secured.

Therefore, as seen in Figs. 6 to 15, each section I1, I6 and |2 has two tongues 68, 65, 10, 1I and 61, 14, at each end and section has' three tongues 12 and 13 at each end. Also, tongues 65 and are each provided with a slot 66 and 69.

If it is desired to rearrange the order or position of any or all of the bars 31 and 38 it is merely necessary to unscrew the knurled nuts 24 and 25 and rotate them together with the eye bolts 22 and 23 clockwise from the positions of Fig. 1 to the positions of Fig. '1. Then the section I6 is rotated counter-clockwise, Fig. 8, around the pin |8, which will permit the respective bars to be drawn out from the left side, or the top section I1 may be removed, Fig. 8. In the position of the frame sections in Fig. 7 with the locking bolts and nuts in the unlocked position, the tongues 1|) and 65 are in a position to disengage themselves from the pins 2| which is not possible with the bolts and nuts in the locked position as in Fig. 6.

Since the control panel or desk is adapted to be placed on a table, although it can be suspended or otherwise supported, a corner knob 15, Fig. 2, is provided at each of the four corners of the frame I0.

As already referred to, each bar 38 is adapted to control and operate a device as shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No. 368,696, the electrical connections being shown in the wiring diagram, Fig. 5, in which the right hand end indicates the indicating device having two operating solenoids |33 and |34, binding posts IGI, |62 and |63, signal lamps or bulbs |56 and |51, a movable contact I3| and adjustable spaced contacts |01 and |08. A suitable source of power, such as battery 16 furnishes electric power for the operation of the system.

When it is desired to operate the solenoid 33 the button |59 is pushed down which closes the circuit from battery 16, wire 11, binding post 4|, wire 58, switch 54, Wire 51, binding post 40, Wire 18, post |62, through the solenoid I 33, wire 80, post I0! and back to the battery. If the solenoid |34 is to be energized, the button |58 is pushed clown which closes the circuit from battery 16, wire 11, binding post 4I, wire 58, switch 53, wire 56, post 39, wire 19, post I 63, through solenoid |34, wire 80, post 6| and back to the battery. If, during the operation of the solenoids, now, the movable Contact |3| contacts one of the adjustable contacts |01. or I 08, assuming contact |01. the circuit also lights the bulb |56 and bulbs 46 and 41 through wire 11, post 4|, Wire 58, bulbs 46 and 41, wire 60, post 43, wire'8I, binding post 82, wire 83, contact |01, contact |3I, wire 84, post |6| and back to the battery. Also, the current will flow from the battery through Wire 90, post 89, wire 88, through bulb |56, contact |01, contact |3I, wire 84 and binding post 6|, back to the battery. If the contacts |3| and |08 are in contact, the circuit flows from the battery through wire 11, post 4|, wire 58, bulbs 48 and 49, wire 59, post 42, wire 85, binding post 86, Wire 81, contact |08, contact |3I, wire 84 and binding post |6| back to the battery. Likewise, -bulb |51 will be energized from the battery by wire 90, post 89, wire 88, wire 9|, bulb 51, contact |08, contact 3| wire 84, and binding post |6I, back to the battery.

The purpose of the two bulbs 46 and 41; 48 and 46; is that if one bulb of the parallel connection should burn out, the other will light. Furthermore, the light bulbs 46, 41, 48 and 49 as well as |56 and |51 are signal or warning lights to indicate when a set or adjusted position of the indicating device has been reached.

The socket connections 44 and 45 are provided in each bar 38 in order to connect another indicating device electrically other than the one connected to binding posts 39 and 40.

In one application of the invention where the control board or panel is used in connection with stock and bond quotations, that is, sales, an operator for the panel watches the intermittent travel of the ticker tape I3 issuing from a Well known stock ticker and which travels on a rack as for instance shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 368,096, led'November 30, 1940. The operator observes certain gures from the tape I3 and by pushing the respective button |58 or |59, of the respective bar 38 the particular information coming over the ticker tape is set up in the particular indicating device.

It is, of course, obvious that the invention can be used for various purposes other than stock, bond, and commodity quotations, since it is capable of being used in any industry or application where it is desired to analyze the trend of production, price changes, available materials or those on hand, and other information in which it is desired to assemble certain data to indicate a composite or any other factor.

I claim as my invention:

1. A control panel for controlling and operating a trend analyzer and indicating device comprising four sections forming a rectangle and each section having a plurality of tongues, two of said sections being secured to each other by means of the tongues, the third section being hinged to the two secured sections and the fourth section being separable from the hinged section, and the secured sections, a plurality of control bars secured between two opposite sections, and cooperating means on the ends of each bar and the sections in which the bar is secured to rigidly hold the bars in the sections and forming with the latter the control panel.

2. A control panel for controlling and operating a trend analyzer and indicating device comprising four sections forming a rectangle and each section having a plurality of tongues, the four sections being in the form of top, bottom, right side, and left side sections, the bottom and right side sections being secured to each other by means of its tongues, the left side section being hinged to the bottom section by means of its tongues, and the top section being removable from the right and left side sections by means of the tongues, a plurality of control bars secured between two opposite sections, and cooperating means on the ends of each bar and-the sections in which the bar is secured to rigidly hold the bars in the sections and forming with the latter the control panel.

3. A panel according to claim 2, in which one end of the top section and one end of the right side section are provided with a pivotally mounted eye bolt and a nut pivotally mounted to secure and separate the top section of the frame.

4. A panel according to claim 2, in which one end of the top section and one end of the right side section are provided with a pivotally mounted eye bolt and a nut pivotally mounted to secure and separate the top section of the frame, and in which tongues on one end of the left side section and the top section are provided with slots which cooperate with the pivot of the eye bolt.

5. A control panel for controlling and operating a trend analyzer and indicating device, comprising a plurality of sections each having a plurality of tongues at each end, one end of two tongues being provided with slots, a pin in the tongues of two ends of two sections, an eye bolt pivotally mounted on each pin, a nut on each eye bolt, each slotted tongue fitting on its respective pin and the nuts securing the sections together, a plurality of control bars secured between two opposite sections, and cooperating means on the ends of each bar and the sections in which the bar is secured to rigidly hold the bars in the sec tions and forming with the latter the control panel.

HENRY H. BARNARD. 

